Orange Jordan aims to cover 50 per cent of energy needs through solar

Wednesday, 11 February 2015 06:18

Jordan has among the highest averages of solar irradiance and high wind speeds in the region, making it a viable country for solar and wind projects. (Image source: James Moran/Flickr) Jordan’s mobile phone operator Orange Jordan has claimed that it would meet nearly 50 per cent of its energy demands through solar power

According to company officials, Orange Jordan has already floated a tender for the construction of a solar farm and will decide the company that would run the project, by the end of the month. The project is expected to generate 25-30mn kWh of power per year.

Raslan Deiranieh, deputy CEO of Orange Jordan stated that the project would lower energy costs and aid the country with saving nearly US$4.2mn on power. Currently, Jordan imports 97 per cent of its energy needs and its energy bill stands at US$22.5mn.

In a bid to increase the momentum of energy initiatives, Jordan’s energy ministry has stated that multiple energy projects with a total capacity of 500MW would become operational in 2015. They would mostly comprise solar and wind projects, and generate around 2,500 gWh collectively. The country has one of the highest annual averages of solar irradiance with an estimated 330 days of sunshine each year. Wind speeds range from 7.5-11.5 metres per second in hilly areas of the country.